The organizer of an upcoming rally aimed at pushing through legislation in Texas to stop an influx of illegal immigration believes the U.S. government is abdicating its responsibility to protect the border.
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“We have an invasion taking place at our southern border, and the idea is that the federal government’s not doing anything about it,” Mark Meckler, president of the Convention of States and organizer of the upcoming “How Many More?” rally, told CBN’s Faithwire.
Meckler’s event, to be held from 1 to 4 p.m. April 29 on the steps of the Texas state capitol, is aimed at encouraging Texas officials to take action and implement House Bill 20, legislation that would create a “Border Protection Unit.”
Under the umbrella of the Texas Department of Public Safety, this law enforcement body would create a force that could “arrest, detain, and deter individuals crossing the border illegally, including with the use of non-deadly force.” The unit would be able to hire trained civilians with no criminal history, though these individuals would not have the authority to make arrests.
Meckler pushed back on critics who have warned civilian elements could lead to vigilantism.
“They have to go through full law enforcement training before they can be down there on board,” he said. “There’s not going to be any vigilantism.”
Watch Meckler explain the crisis on the border:
House Bill 20 is a reaction to the ongoing influx of illegal immigrants over the U.S. border in Texas.
Meckler said immigration is a federal issue, but with the federal government not taking necessary action, he said Texas must declare an invasion and imminent danger on the border and take action on its own.
With “overrun hospitals, overrun schools, and violence,” he said the problems are multifaceted.
“The cartels control our entire border,” he said. “There is an invasion taking place, and so the state has to declare that invasion is taking place. One of the things that H.B. 20 does is … declaring that invasion.”
Meckler hopes the “How Many More?” rally pressures politicians to push through the proposal.
“The goal is literally to bring in thousands upon thousands of people not just from the state of Texas from all over the country,” he said. “And the title of the rally really says it all: How many more people have to die of fentanyl poisoning and overdoses? How many more?”
Meckler’s “How Many More?” initiative supports these efforts, with the Convention of States leader detailing the human catastrophe he believes is unfolding right now on the U.S. border.
“Young girls, young boys have to be sold into sexual slavery,” he said. “How many more ranchers have to be overrun by illegal immigrants? How many of our hospitals here in Texas and all around the country have to be overwhelmed by people who come to this country illegally?”
While some of the data is hard to define and corroborate, Meckler said many women are raped while making their journeys through South and Central America. Death is also a common tragedy along the border, he said.
“How many more bodies do the ranchers have to find on their properties before people like you and me and just average Americans will say, ‘I can’t have this on my conscience anymore?'” he asked.
The push for House Bill 20 and the “How Many More?” comes just weeks before the expected expiration of Title 42, a public health policy activated during the Trump administration and continuing during the bulk of the Biden administration that quickly expels border crossers.
Former President Donald Trump used Title 42 in March 2020 to help curb the spread of COVID-19, and while new restrictions could take its place, fears are percolating over an increased flow of migrants when Title 42 expires May 11.
“Title 42 was an emergency measure passed to allow … federal border patrol to repel people coming across the border based on health, and so it’s a health and safety issue,” Meckler said. “As much as I would like Title 42 to stay in place, with the COVID emergency being withdrawn, Title 42 probably should expire.”
But he said a migrant surge could accompany the expiration, fearing an “overwhelming wave of illegal immigration into this country” once the measure is no longer on the books.
“This is one of the things a lot of people don’t know — there’s a communications network that flows down through Central and South America, and frankly into countries across the world,” Meckler said. “And lets potential illegal immigrants know when it’s safe to come, how difficult it’s going to be, and with Title 42 expiring, the message is: ‘Now’s the time to come. Joe Biden’s your friend. The administration’s your friend. They’re going to let you in … so, time to flood the border.'”
Find out more about Meckler’s “How Many More” rally here.
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